Soap dispenser



March 13, 1934. R, v, -T Ef AL 1,950,782

SOAP DISPENSER ATTORNEYS Filed Jan. 23, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 29a 44 32O 23 -T 9 3 4/ INVENTORS- V 3 fi BY M Mam]: I3, 1934.

R. v. BURT Er m.

SOAP DISPENSER Fi1 ed Jan. 23, 1933 2 Sheetg-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 13,1934 soar nrsransaa Robert V. Burt and Robert J. Short, Cincinnati,

Ohio, assirnors to The Procter& Gamble Company, Cincinnati,-hio, acorporation of Ohio Application January 23, 1933, erlal No. esaeao I 4Claims. (or. sci-1oz) Our invention relates to soap dispensing apparatus, particularly for dispensing soap paste and cream soap.

It is the object of our invention to provide a soap dispenser in which acartridge of soap in paste form may be inserted in the dispenser, and inwhich mechanism is provided to facilitate the dispensing ofsubstantially measured quantities of the product from the dispenser.

Another object of our invention is the provision of dispensing equipmentin which means is pro= vided for registering automatically the quantityof soap retained in the supply part of the dispenser so that when itbecomes empty it may be properly serviced without the annoyance topeople using the dispenser of having them attempt to cause the dischargeof a quantity of the soap for use when the supply is exhausted.

Another object of our invention is the provi= sion of a valve whichtends to prevent the drip from the dispensing orifice at the end of adispensing operation.

Another object of our invention is the provision or" a dispenser whichmay be formed from die casting or moulded plastic resinoid, or the like,which will have a neat and attractive ap pearance, and which will besturdy and not likely to get out or order with continuous operation.

The above objects and other objects to which 9 reference will he made inthe ensuing description we accomplish by that certain combination andarrangement of parts oi which we have shown a preferred embodiment.

Referring to the drawings: Figure l is a vertical sectional view of thepenser.

Figure 2 is a side elevationoi the dispenser taken at an angle of 90degrees from the sectional view shown in Fig. 1. AG Figure 3 is a detailsectional view of the dis charge nozzle.

The dispenser has a bracket shaped base 1,

having a vertical flanged portion 2, which open- I ings 3 are formed toattach the base to a ver- 45 ticai support as with screws or bolts.

The base has a cup shaped depression t and a number of pins Fl extendfrom the base within the depression. Bayonet slots 5 are formed close tothe end of a cover portion 6 of the dispenser 9 so that the cover may belocked in position by a slight rotation on the base.

The cover has a cap portion 8, through which a passage 9 extends, and adial cap 10 having an arrow 11 thereon seats against the fiat top 12 55of the cap 8.

The base has a circular orifice 13 therein which seats the end it of theshaft 19.

A gravity platen 16 is secured to the base of the hub which has. a hole17 shaped to fit the shaft 19 which is preferably formed from a twistedrectangular bar. The platen 16 is prevented from slipping on the shaft19 by a pin 18 extending through the end'of the shaft -19. The shaft 19extends up through the opening 9 in the cap and is secured to the dial10. A red 20 extends down from-the cap 8, passing through an orifice 22in the platen l6, and because of the axial mounting and the guide 20,the platen 16 is prevented from rotating when it follows down on top ofthe soap as it is dispensed. The purpose of the gravity platen is tomaintain a uni form level oi the soap as it is drawn into'the chamber28, thus preventing soap from being drawn preferentially from onesection of the dispenser and permitting air from entering the chamberbefore the soap is completely discharged from the container.

Since the platen i6 is held immovable as to rotation as it descends,itcauses the shaft 19 to rotate so that the arrow 11 will move throughan angle of let degrees from a portion of the cap a of the dispenserprovided with the indicia 23, indicating that the container is full, toindicla 2%, indicating thatthe container is empty.

The soap in paste form is provided. in a package having an outer shell25, preferably made of cardboard and having a diameter or such size asto clear the outer peripheral edges of the platen is so that it will befree to move clownwithin the wall of the package.

A recess 23 seats the lower edge of the wall 25, and thecover is thenplaced in position with the studs interlocking in the bayonet slots 5 ofthe cover 6.. The rod 20 passes down through the soap, and the lower endis of the axial shaft 19 engages within the recess 13. The platen withthe hub 15 remains on top of the soap and as the soap is dispensed itsdescent within the con tainer causes the rotation of the twisted shaft19 and of the dialill.

The base 1 is provided with a chamber 27, into which the soap pasteflows by gravity and the pressure of the platen 16. A passage 2t extendslaterally across through the base 1, and this passage has a branchpassage 29 which extends down to the dispensing portion 30 of the base.

Within the passage 28 there is a valve casing 29 which seats a hall 30.The ball is retained within the valve casing 2s lay means of a splitring 31..

The casing, 29, the ball 30, and the split ring 31 provide a valve whichprevents soap from passing back from the chamber 28, through the seat 32of the valve casing.

A plunger 33 is mounted for lateral reciprocating motion in the chamber28. The plunger has a collar 34, against which a coil spring 35 bears,tending to move the piston to the right, as indicated in Fig. 1. Securedto the piston 33 is a rod 36, having a push handle 3'7. When the pushhandle is pressed inwardly it causes the semisolid soap to move the ball30 against the seat 32 and thus causes the soap from the chamber 28 tobe discharged down the passage 29 to the dispensing orifice 30, movingspring 41 outwardly, and thus discharging the soap. Spring 41 isprovided with a small opening 38 at the bottom as shown in Figure 3, so

that when the said spring is seated, passage 29 is not entirely closed.The opening 38 is of such size and shape as to prevent the soap pastefrom flowing outwardly by gravity but will permit soap to be drawninwardly by the suction of the plunger 33.

At the discharge orifice the front of the base is shaped out and a plate39 is secured to the machine surface as by means of a screw 40. A plateof spring steel 41 is secured between the discharging portion of thebase and the plate 39, being held in positon by means of a stud 42 and aproperly shaped depression in-the plate 3.9.

The plunger 33 is retained within the base by means of a stufiing boxcap member 43. Plug 44 is provided to facilitate the drilling outof thechamber in the base and for rendering the dispenser easy to clean out.Set screw 45 is provided for the purpose of holding the ball check valvecasing 29 in place.

Each inward pressure stroke of the plunger empties the passage 28, andupon the release of the push handle 37, the plunger is forced back bythe spring 35, thus drawing a new charge of soap through the ball valveinto chamber 28, and at the same time drawing in any soap which mayremain hanging to the outside of orifice 30.

The method of using the dispenser is to seat within the recess in thebase an open ended con tainer of soap paste. The platen '16 is thenplaced on top of the soap, its peripheral dimen-- sions being such thatit slides down 'within the walls of the container. The cover is theninserted on the base with the bayonet lugs locking within the bayonetslots. During the positioning of the cover the stub end 14 of the shaft19 seats within the recess 13. The guiding of the platen 16, preventingits rotary movement, causes the shaft 19 to rotate, and the arrow 11indicates the level of the soap paste within its container.

It should be understood that the drawings and description shown hereinembody one form or our invention, but that certain modifications indetails may be made. For example, the casing and the soap container maybe made of other shapes, such as rectangular, instead of round, and theguiding rod 20 thereby made unnecessary; and other minor changes inconstruction are possible without departing from the spirit of ourinvention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim asnew and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:-

1. In a soap dispensing device, a base, a cover member detachablymounted on the base and projecting upwardly therefrom so as to supply acontainer portion, a tube containing soap paste located within saidcontainer portion, a follower located in the cover member and arrangedto lie within the tube and rest on the soap paste therein when said tubeis inserted into the cover, and having a guide member extending, throughthe said soap paste, and a contents gauge arranged to be operated bysaid follower located outside of the cover member.

2. In a soap paste dispenser, the combination of a compressor chamberand piston therein, a valve admitting soap to said compressor butchecking its outflow therefrom, a dispensing conduit, and a valve forsaid dispensing conduit 10-. cated at the discharge orifice thereof,said valve so constructed as to incompletely close the discharge orificeduring the suction movement of the piston permitting drawing in ofextruded paste, and to open the discharge orifice during the compressionmovement of the piston.

3. In a soap paste dispenser, the combination of a compressor chamberand piston therein, a value admitting soap to said compressor butchecking its outflow therefrom, a dispensing conduit, and a valve forsaid dispensing conduit located at the discharge orifice thereof, saidvalve so constructed as to incompletely close the discharge orificeduring the suction movement of the piston permitting drawing in ofextruded paste, and to open the discharge orifice during the compressionmovement of the piston, said valve being in the form of a plate having asmall opening therein insufficient to permit leakage of the paste in theabsence of pressure.

4. In a soap paste dispenser, the combination of a compressor chamberand piston therein, a valve admitting soap to said compressor butchecking its outflow therefrom, a dispensing conduit, and a valve forsaid dispensing conduit located at the discharge orifice thereof, saidvalve so constructed as to incompletely close the discharge orificeduring the suction movement of the piston permitting drawing in ofextruded paste, and to open the discharge orifice during the compressionmovement of the piston, said valve when closed being suflicient toprevent leakage of paste in the absence of pressure.

ROBERT J. SHORT. ROBERT V. BURT.

